Do you want to be a safe and smart boater? Do you want your loved ones to be safe and smart boaters?
The North Strand Sail and Power Squadron will be offering its America’s Boating Course as a one-day class from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, March 2, at the J. Bryan Floyd Community Center, 1030 Possum Trot Road in North Myrtle Beach, S.C. Coffee, donuts and a light lunch will be provided.
The course offers useful materials and information about many boating safety topics, including boat handling, piloting skills, navigational charts and adverse conditions.

Chocolate and wine pairing at Silver Coast
Enjoy a chocolate piece of “the rock” at a chocolate and wine pairing presented by Silver Coast Winery on Feb. 16-17. The pairing will consist of sampling two chocolates bars with different wines. Cost is $15 per person.
On Feb. 16 at Silver Coast Winery, 6680 Barbeque Road in Ocean Isle Beach, there will be three seatings: at noon, 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.
On Feb. 17 in its Tasting Room at 105 S. Howe St. in Southport, there will be three seatings: 1 p.m.,
2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.

The 16th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) takes place from Feb. 15-18.
Hosted by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society, the GBBC collects valuable information about changes in patterns of bird distribution and numbers throughout the United States and Canada. This year, for the first time, the event goes global, when the GBBC integrates with eBird, a worldwide bird data collection program.

Editor’s note: This North Carolinian of Note profile was produced by students in Dean Emeritus Richard Cole’s feature writing class in the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Journalism and Mass Communication. The profiles were distributed by the North Carolina Press Foundation. For reprint information, contact sandynie@email.unc.edu.

Even the most seasoned beachcomber can be excited and pleased to find a whole, intact sand dollar on the beach.
A common sand dollar is another name for a particular type of “flattened” sea urchin. The common sand dollar is found in the Northern Hemisphere in temperate and tropical waters.
On a good day at Ocean Isle Beach or Sunset Beach, you might find many sand dollars ranging in size from 1-4 inches in diameter.

The Save Our Community (SOC) organization of Southport hosted its 21st annual Emancipation Day Program at St. James AMEZ Church on Dec. 29.
Norman Jones, master of ceremonies, opened the program by asking the audience to sing “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
Emma Myles of First Baptist read the Scripture, Exodus 3:7-12. Deacon William Flythe of Friendship Baptist prayed, and Alexandria Plummer of St. James AMEZ gave the welcome.